February 12–13, 2026 in Vaasa, Finland
1st Call for Papers
VAKKI Communication Research Association arranges a Symposium on February 12–13, 2026 under the theme of Human(e) Communication.
“Human” communication in the theme refers to what is characteristic of humans: language, emotional expression, culture and creativity, symbolic thinking and argumentation, as well as social relationships. Linguistic communication in particular has long been seen as specific to humans, but this boundary is increasingly being questioned: How, for example, does animal communication relate to human language? How can different species communicate with each other? Can artificial intelligence communicate? What do we consider to be genuinely human communication in different contexts and what values do we attach to it?
Futhermore, the symposium also focuses on “humane” communication, which refers to an empathetic and respectful way of communicating. Humane communication is currently compromised for example by polarization and hate speech reinforced by algorithms. How can we maintain (or restore) ethical and constructive interaction? How can communication support inclusion and trust? How can respectful encounters and interaction be promoted in various communication contexts, from organizations to social media?
The plenary speakers are:
- Kristine Ask, Norwegian University of Science and Technology and University of Vaasa
- Amanda Lagerkvist, Uppsala University and Helsinki Collegium for Advanced Studies
We welcome you to discuss human(e) communication in the symposium in February. We invite proposals for section presentations and workshops that consider the theme in different organisational, workplace and media contexts, for example from the following perspectives:
- Limits of human communication and interaction with other species
- Human-technology interaction, usability and accessibility
- Polarization, hate speech and opportunities for constructive interaction in society and especially in social media
- Humane communication in the workplace
- Emotion, affect, and the body in communication
- Games, gamification and play as human activity
- Posthumanist, neohumanist, postdigital thought
- Humanistic foundations and approaches in communication research
- Empathy, ethics and responsibility in communication
Please submit your section presentation abstract (max. 3,000 characters excluding references) via electric form by December 8, 2025. The papers will be selected based on the scientific quality of the abstract. Notifications of acceptance will be sent out by December 19, 2025. The abstracts can be written in Finnish, Swedish, English, or German. The final presentation should be in the same language as the abstract.
At this stage, we also welcome proposals for workshops. The purpose of the workshops is to provide participants with a more informal setting to exchange intellectual ideas and practical experiences on specific topics. Please submit your proposal for a workshop theme as an attachment (max. 3000 characters in rtf or doc format) to symposium[at]vakki.net by November 3, 2025. Please, state in the proposal whether you will call for abstracts for workshop presentations or invite the speakers yourself. Further details on registering for the workshops will be provided in the second Call for Papers in November 2025.
The symposium will be held on site in Vaasa. The working languages of the symposium are Finnish, Swedish, English and German. After the symposium, presenters are invited to submit their papers to the VAKKI publication, which is a JUFO 1-level peer–reviewed open access publication. The publication will be published at the end of 2026.
If you have any questions, please feel free to contact the symposium organizers, symposium[at]vakki.net